Improvement in water-gates



I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

NATHANIEL JENKINS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INI PROVEIVI ENT IN WATER-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,329, dated August 21, 1866; antedated August l5, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN'TEL JENKINS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water -Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section. Fig. 2 is a top view; and Fig. 3 is a vertical central section, representing a slight modification of Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the drawings.

What are known as water-gates (to prevent the water from iiowing from the main pipe into the supplypipes, as occasion requires) have hitherto consisted of fiat plates of brass fitted to slide Water-tight in suitable ways in an enlarged chamber made in sections, leaded and bolted together, and the practical objection to these water-gates has been the comparatively great expense of constructing them, and their liability of being worn or clogged by gravel and other substances so as to leak a-nd require repairing or removal.

The nature of my improvement therefore consists, first, in constructing the gate or valve of a hollow or solid hemispherical, hemispheroidal, conical, or other suitably-shaped core of iron or other non-elastic material, covered with rubber or some equivalent elastic or compressible substance; and, second, in providing the gate-chamber with raised ribs extending from the bottom ot' the .pipe to a point above the top oi thesame, to operate as seats for the elastic covering of the valve or gate, whereby, owing to the diminished area of the bearing-surface, a watertight Iit is attained and secured with comparatively little compression, and an et'- fectual water-gate is produced cheaper, more durable, and more easily worked, I think, than any known or used before.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, I will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a section of a supply-pipe leading from a main pipe. B is a cylindrical chamber at `right angles with thepipe A, having a Ilan ge, O, around its upper edge.

E is the chamber-cap, confined by means of screws G and its ilange F to the flange C, as represented in Fig. 1. This cap E is provided with an internal screw for the reception ot` the valve-spindle H, the upper portion of which is cylindrical and smooth, and passes through the stuflng J contained in the stufling-box I, screwed to the top of the cap.

The bore ofthe pipe A is round and straight, and about one-bali` the diameter of the chamber B, so as to afford a direct passage of the water through the said chamber, which thus becomes, in effect, a simple enlargement of the pipe itself.

d d d d are raised ribs, about an inch (more or less, according to the size of the gate) in width, commencing at the bottom of the pipe A, at a point directly under the center ofthe chamber B, and extending upward, as represented in Figs. l and 2, each side of the pipe and into the chamber, thereby forming a seat consisting of narrow sections of a basin shaped to fit the valve. The drawings represent four of these. ribs. It is obvious, however, that more than four might be used, if desirable, or

even two would answer. I prefer, however, to employ the. number represented in Fig. 2.

O, Fig. l, is a hollow hemisphere, of metal or other suitable material, provided 'with a covering, P, of rubber or other equivalent elastic substance, confined thereto in any-ob vious manner, K being a cross-bar confined to ears a a by means of screws m m. Through `the center of this cross-bar K is a round hole,

through which passes freely the lower end of the spindle H, L being a thimble fast to the spindle under the said cross-bar to prevent the valve from dropping 01T. The extremity of the spindle H is brought to a point and set into a suitable step at the center of the bottom of the cup O, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In Fig. 3 the cup O is represented as somewhat eonical, and the covering l? confined to the cup by entering an annular groove near the top of the same. In this ligure, also, the lower part of the 'spindle H is enlarged to take the place of the thimble L in Fig. 1.

The core O is represented as hollow and of metal. It may, however, be constructed solid and of any other suitable material; or, finally, the valves or gate may be made entirely ofthe elastic material or rubber, provided with a Y suitable bearing for the spindle H to turn or swivel in.' The upper end of the spindle H is squared, so as to be readily turned by means of avkey, in the usual manner.

In Fig. 1 the valve or gate is represented as open, affording a straight passage for the Water through the pipe A and chamber B.

In Fig. 3 the Valve or gate is closed. In both' v cases the moment the valve touches its seat or the raised ribs d d l d it ceases to revolve,

v and the spindle'V turns in the core O, thereby relieving the elastic covering of any sliding friction7 and allow-ing it to be easily compressed Water-tight upon said ribs.

The cheapness and durability of my Watergate (thusconstructed and operating) as coni- Y NATHL. JENKINS.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. CLARKE, N. AMEs. 

